August Strindberg is credited with being the father of psychological drama. His 1901 play Dance of Death, now revived at the Broadhurst Theatre, makes us think that he might well have also been its mother. After all, this is an equal opportunity plunge into the holy shackles of matrimony. If you think George and Martha had it bad in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Dance of Death horrifically captures the love/hate aspects of marriage in all its grotesque minutiae.

This poison-covered play would be too toxic to see if it didn't feature actors you simply have to see. Sir Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren star as the moon-crossed lovers who are about to celebrate the[...]